1. Democracy Education in Israel
6 April 2019
Democracy Education in Israel
Raphael Cohen-Almagor
Director, Center for Democratic Studies, University of Haifa
6 April 2019

2. Preliminaries Israel was established as a Jewish democracy
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Preliminaries
Israel was established as a Jewish democracy
Based on Liberal-Democratic values
AND
Jewish values
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3. Preliminaries Authoritarian regimes surround it.
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Preliminaries
Authoritarian regimes surround it.
The key factor for its success is its relationships with our neighbours.
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4. 6 April 2019
Preliminaries
Israel survived seven wars and two Palestinian uprisings in 58 years of independence.
It is hard to maintain normality under such a hostile environment.
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5. 6 April 2019
Preliminaries
Security expenses exhausts a third of our budget, leaving insufficient resources for the development of other spheres.
The constant security threat destroys the tourism industry and preempts external investments essential for economic growth.
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6. Preliminaries Unemployment continues to be significant.
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Preliminaries
Unemployment continues to be significant.
Salaries going down in real terms.
Welfare benefits are cut.
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7. Society’s Profile No shared raison d'être
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Society’s Profile
No shared raison d'être
20% wish to transform democracy into theocracy
20% do not endorse the Zionist ethos
20% of the population are immigrants from the former Soviet Union where no democracy existed
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8. 6 April 2019
Background - Schisms
In addition, Israel suffers from internal schisms:
between Israeli-Palestinians and Israeli-Jews inside the Green Line;
between Palestinians under the Palestinian Authority and Jews;
between orthodox Jews and secular Jews;
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9. 6 April 2019
Background - Schisms
between the ideological right and the ideological left,
between Sephardim and Ashkenazim;
between socialism and capitalism, and
between cities and kibbutzim
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10. Major Problems No shared raison d'être Many schisms
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Major Problems
No shared raison d'être
Many schisms
Not-so-friendly neighbours
Terror
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11. Major Problems Shaky economy
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Major Problems
Shaky economy
Problematic election system that brings about unstable Knesset and corruption
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12. 6 April 2019
Major Problems
Racism
Culture in which generals are heavily involved in politics during and after service
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13. Education Our greatest asset is education
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Education
Our greatest asset is education
But it is not in the government’s priorities
20% cut in universities’ budget since 2001
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14. Universities Almost no new hiring
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Universities
Almost no new hiring
Israelis study in the finest universities in the world, and then cannot find a job in their home country
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15. The Declaration of Independence
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The Declaration of Independence
The Declaration of Independence holds that Israel will foster the development of the country for the benefit of all its inhabitants; that it will be based on the foundations of liberty, justice and peace;
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16. The Declaration of Independence
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The Declaration of Independence
that it will uphold complete equality of social and political rights to all of its citizens irrespective of religion, race or sex, and that it will guarantee freedom of religion, conscience, language, education and culture.
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17. Important Remedies Need to strengthen the democratic foundations
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Important Remedies
Need to strengthen the democratic foundations
Promote Democratic Culture
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18. 6 April 2019
Democratic Education
At present there is no standard democracy education In Israel.
There is a great need to equip our youth with understanding of democratic values and principles.
For years, the State of Israel has neglected this subject.
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19. 6 April 2019
Democratic Education
All that exists is citizenship education, taught for two or three years, one hour per week, in which only the formal procedures and mechanisms are explained.
The substantive issues of what does it mean to live in a democracy are neglected.
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20. Current Situation The result is most unfortunate.
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Current Situation
The result is most unfortunate.
The majority of people in Israel take democracy for granted, fail to understand the values of democracy, or contest democracy.
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21. 6 April 2019
Current Situation
Bearing in mind that twenty per cent of the population are immigrants from the former Soviet Union where no democracy existed, and that large segments within Israeli society wish to transform democracy into theocracy, or preach one state for all Jews and Palestinians on the western side of the Jordan River, which would effectively mean the end of Israel as we know it, make us realize how vulnerable Israeli democracy is.
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22. 6 April 2019
Polls
Indeed, repeated public polls have shown that some thirty percent of Israeli citizenry wish to transform democracy into "a government based on strong hand", limit free expression and freedom of the press so as to have "better control".
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23. 6 April 2019
To cheer you up… Ufff…
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24. Center for Democratic Studies
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Center for Democratic Studies
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25. Center for Democratic Studies
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Center for Democratic Studies
The aim of The Haifa Center for Democratic Studies is to promote awareness and understanding of civic culture in democracy.
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26. Center for Democratic Studies
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Center for Democratic Studies
Recognizing the growing need to secure the foundations of democracy and to facilitate conditions for pluralism, the Center establishes a national and international forum for deliberation and discussion.
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27. Center for Democratic Studies
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Center for Democratic Studies
The Center aims to increase public awareness of liberal democratic values: liberty, tolerance, justice, equality and peace
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28. Center for Democratic Studies
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Center for Democratic Studies
Focus is on the role of ethics and justice in all spheres of public life: politics; economy; culture; academy; business; law; media and medicine.
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29. Center for Democratic Studies
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Center for Democratic Studies
Strengthening of active participation in public life, professional ethics, accountability for one’s actions, multiculturalism, diversity, and civic equality
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30. Center for Democratic Studies
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Center for Democratic Studies
The Center also focuses attention upon abuse of power and violation of basic human rights. It encourages open debate on the vital importance of freedom of expression, in its broad sense, in democratic life.
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31. Center for Democratic Studies
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Center for Democratic Studies
On this front the Center sees an urgent need for education on all levels: primary schools, high schools and universities.
Develop a broad curriculum of recent history and civics, empowering civic education.
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32. Democratic Education Liberal Ideology:
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Democratic Education
Liberal Ideology:
Putting the Individual at the Center
John Locke: society, tolerance, property, pursuit of happiness
John Stuart Mill: Harm Principle, Truth principle
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33. Democratic Education Liberal Ideology:
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Democratic Education
Liberal Ideology:
Emanuel Kant: Dignity, Respect for Others, Perceiving People as Ends Rather than Means
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34. Democratic Education Rights: Human Rights Civic Rights Social Rights
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Democratic Education
Rights:
Human Rights
Civic Rights
Social Rights
Health Rights
Minority Rights
Women Rights
Rights of Physically and Mentally Challenged People
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35. 6 April 2019
Democratic Education
Foundations:
Liberty
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36. Democratic Education Basic Liberties:
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Democratic Education
Basic Liberties:
Free Expression, including freedom to demonstrate and to picket, free media, artistic freedom, and academic freedom.
Free Assembly
Free Association
Freedom of Religion
Freedom from Religion
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37. Democratic Education Foundations: Tolerance Peace Equality Justice
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Democratic Education
Foundations:
Tolerance
Peace
Equality
Justice
-- multiculturalism,
-- mutual understanding and diversity
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38. 6 April 2019
Mutliculturalism
Studies of all religions that exist in Israel should be made available.
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39. Democratic Education Mechanisms: Representation
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Democratic Education
Mechanisms:
Representation
Active participation in public life
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40. 6 April 2019
Democratic Education
The participatory mechanisms need to be strengthened, otherwise the decision-making process will be left in the hands of partisan politicians whose interests do not necessarily coincide with the interests of the people.
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41. Democratic Education Through participation and representation:
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Democratic Education
Through participation and representation:
-- professional ethics
-- accountability for one’s actions
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42. Democratic Education Comparative Studies:
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Democratic Education
Comparative Studies:
Learning from Experience of other democracies:
The United Kingdom
The United States
Germany
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43. Democratic Education Weaknesses of the Democratic Regime:
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Democratic Education
Weaknesses of the Democratic Regime:
The Paradox of Tolerance
The Democratic Catch
The Tyranny of the Majority
The Tyranny of the Minority
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44. 6 April 2019
Conclusion
Democracy should be nurtured and sustained through active education and through constant efforts on the part of the citizenry who care for the society in which they live.
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45. 6 April 2019
Conclusion
Through education, we should invest our energies to promote liberty, tolerance, equality, justice, peace and multiculturalism in our troubled society.
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46. 6 April 2019
Thank you
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